In my book, the best summer reads are like the season itself: An interplay between hot and cool; fun; relatively brief, but also offering something that lingers a bit, like the scent of sand on the skin after a long beach afternoon. These five books—all but one are memoirs—fit the bill this summer, and each left me with food for thought about right livelihood: Hard work at something you love; self-awareness; courage, and truth-telling are the common denominators.
In the interest of keeping the livin’ easy, here are my extremely short, executive-summary-esque reviews (in no particular order), plus a memorable quote from each.
1. The Boy Kings: A Journey Into the Heart of The Social Network by Katherine Losse
Review: Observant, non-tech-y girl joins geek-macho Facebook. Has some fun and some success, but never quite fits in. Quits. Writes about it, to the surprise of no one.
Memorable Quote: “Facebook’s work environment, like much of Silicon Valley, and even like the Internet itself, was always about power: about maximizing your own power while conceding as little of it to others as you could.”
2. The Receptionist: An Education at The New Yorker by Janet Groth
Review: Smart-but-insecure girl with writerly aspirations mans the reception desk at iconic magazine for 20 years, gets a front-row seat to ‘60s and ‘70s literary New York; finally finds her own voice with this memoir. A bittersweet page-turner.
Memorable Quote: “I entered the workforce before the feminist era, and as I ponder the way women in general failed to thrive in that world, how often they were used and overlooked, I recognize that I was part of a larger historical narrative.”
3. Tao Leadership: Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching Adapted for a New Age by John Heider
Review: Simple, counterintuitive leadership at its best: To lead, you’ve got to follow. To achieve, chill out.
Memorable Quote: “Do you want to be a positive influence in the world? First, get your own life in order.”
4. Talking With My Mouth Full: My Life as a Professional Eater by Gail Simmons
Review: Memoir-cum-backstage tour by the Top Chef judge with the best shoes. She’s got a lot of grit behind the smooth exterior. Who knew?
Memorable Quote: “I, for one, have come to realize that I much prefer salty, savory foods in the morning. Runny poached eggs with spicy Sriracha, hearty grain toast and butter, avocado, smoked salmon, bacon.” (I think I chose this quote because I’m hungry).
5. Yes, Chef: A Memoir by Marcus Samuelsson
Review: A beautifully written chronicle (with amazing co-writer Veronica Chambers) of beating the odds, over and over again. Fascinating story of Samuelsson’s journey from Ethiopian poverty to New York culinary rock-stardom.
Memorable Quote: “I was never the chef at Aquavit. I was the black Swedish guy from Aquavit. What does that mean?”
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